'A Sudden, Terrible Stillness'

Amazing!! Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope that in sharing it that it helps you to heal. Beware of PTSD symptoms and do NOT feel foolish if you get them. Seek help for them and know that time is a great healer. God bless you!!
~Cheryl

The new "few" is less than ZERO....

This was a very positive story. I'm happy these people all made it out without any deaths or serious injuries. I was on a plane that had an engine catch fire (mid-air). It was surreal. Luckily there we all made it out safely too. You've got to smile a little wider when you get out of a close scrape like that. As for the posers with the 'inconsiderate for the guy to get his baggage' comments, you really have to put yourself in someone's shoes. People tend to 'react' more than consider their 'p's and 'q's when their life is literally at stake. Perhaps the bag was within graps or was actually on the floor blocking the exit. Things did get shuffled.

an idea!!! maybe just maybe...it was just an automatic reaction in what a moment that can not be described...to grab his bag...no thought involved...just reaction...lighten up!!!!!

Thank God no one has died.

This passenger said he was in the last row. In the galley behind him there are 2 door exits, 1 leftside aircraft, 1 rightside. The door on the left was opened and the slide deployed. That would have been his "closest useable exit" . As trained, the Flight Attendant opened this door and began to shout to the passengers to "come this way, leave belongings". ...the author didn't listen. And yes, the 3 or 4 seconds he took to grab his bag even if was under the seat in front of him, could have cost someone else a few rows up their life.

sorry about the bad grammar... on my previous post, I tried to say shoe, instead of show, and get rid, instead of read.

I love the smell of burning, rancid flesh. It's so festive. Merry Chris Ma Ass!

can it not be just an automatic reaction to grab a bag!!! no thought involved...lighten up people...maybe not a smart thing to do...maybe not thought about at all....just did it!!

So glad no one died.

That sounds like an awesome ride. I love the smell of rancid, burning flesh!

Thank GOD, Thank GOD, Thank GOD everyone's alive. Merry Christmas!

It's amazing how quickly people will condemn others. If if he pushing others out of the way or slowing the process of deplaning that was wrong. But you have no idea what the circumstances were that allowed him to grab his bag. What kind of person reacts to this story that way?

JaTrusa, save the rant for someone who cares.....it has nothing to do with this article.

Delta Airlines and their partners suck! Shoot me an email and i will tell my story!

I was there... On seat 5F... I can't begin to describe what it was... What it felt like... all I had in my hands was my ipod... As we (the guy sitting on 5D and me) were running away trying to get out (I think I was 2nd or 3rd person to get out through the main door) all I could think of was my own life... the lives of others... as I slid down I lost a show (left one) and felt how I and the guy on 5D released his too... we walked all over them... I hear the cracking sound as we stepped on them and ran.... I ran as fast as I could... my knee started to hurt... my left foot was frozen, it was frozen cold, at some point I just couldn't feel my left foot anymore, it felt as if I was dragging a rock, heavy, cold... No matter how many words, no matter how much I try to explain with words, what I felt, what it was like, nobody could ever imagine it.... As I tried to undo my seatbealt I saw the reflection of fire on my window, and my mind made this picture: a ball of flame eating us all alive... I thought: this is it, I'm going to die. I was thinking: grandpa, help me, God help me... as soon as got read of my seatbealt I bolted out my seat... run away, the least thing on my head was my beautiful red leather bag, with my documents, my licence, my passport, my green card, my social security card, my car keys, my laptop for which I work hard, a whole year to buy it... I didn't for a second think of grabbing any of these things... I just ran for my life. All I had on to cover me from the cold was a wool sweater that I kept on after I took my heavy dark wool coat... I could go on with this story. But I just really, I can't.

I believe Continental Airlines is a partner of Delta and i just recently had one of the worst experiences ever with Delta! My flight was scheduled to go from Pa to Atlanta to North Carolina but they lost my baggage along the way and then would not deliver it to me. I had to drive 20 minutes out of my way even though they still had an hour and a half to get it to me before their last delivery!

My flights back were scheduled to run from North Carolina to Atlanta and then back to Pa. In the end i wasted a whole entire day in the airports and finally ended up in Cincinnati. Weather is one thing and understandable but that was not the only thing that was keeping me from getting back home that day.

Delta switched one of my flights in Atlanta to a gate all the way across the airport with 20 minutes before boarding. I know for a fact that some people did not make that flight! Then on top of that, they forgot to call the fuel trucks so we wasted another hour waiting to be fueled before we got into the air. This caused me to miss my next scheduled flight and when i ended up in Cincinnati the Delta rep said they should have never sent us there. Although they gave me a room and (2) $7 food vouchers which couldn't even buy a decent meal at the hotel, i did not have my supplies so my eyes were irritated and dry from not getting to take my contacts out, i didn't have a toothbrush or toothpaste, etc.

That is only half of it and when i filed multiple complaints Delta called me back and tired making excuses to justify their problems! A lady i was speaking with only offered me a $75 voucher that could be used on their website and i quickly declined it and told them to shove it up their @$$es because it was a SCAM! When you try to book a flight, most people save money by going to expedia and other websites. Well if you check out the prices on expedia and compare them to what delta charges after using the $75 voucher it is still cheaper on expedia for the same seats!

I continue to try and contact Delta and all i get is reps hanging up on me and not wanting to hear what i need to say. I'll always be strongly against Delta because they DO NOT do a good job. In fact, they don't even do a decent job.

Delta caused me nothing but frustration and i paid good money to get from point A to point B faster than what it would have took by train or car. I could have traveled to China and back in the amount of time it took Delta to fly me from North Carolina to Pa! I also could have driven back and forth 2 times over and it still would have been cheaper than taking a Delta flight. The biggest problem i have with Delta is they made me miss a 2nd teaching interview! I could not reschedule it because they were hiring a candidate on the next day!

In conclusion, stay away from Delta and their partners! As you can see their service sucks and they are not safe!

Perhaps the flight attendant was too busy helping other passengers to be so petty - if they want the "stuff" for the investigation I am sure Jeb will be happy to hand it over. I am so happy they are all safe and alive, and thank you, Jeb, for your story - Merry Christmas - and a happier New Year

i think that degdiego is arrogantly judgmental... what a prick!

This story was inspiring and has me crying, happy and thankful that everyone survived. A great Christmas story
that reminds me of how fragile this life can be and how grateful I am even in hard times.